


They might be your wounds but they're my sutures

by Ciezuru



Category: Sakurazaka46 (Band)
Genre: F/F, Real Life, also yuuka honey pls take care of yourself better, details give me life uwu, i had way too much fun with researching on ankle injuries, i have no bg in medicine so pls excuse any medical errors lol, other members will appear briefly, yuukanen gives me life uwu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciezuru/pseuds/Ciezuru
Summary: In which Yuuka may be a bit too selfless for her own good and Akane might let her frustrations with the captain get to her; opening new doors along the way.Or, Yuuka wrecks her ankle, and in her hiatus, the two captains become closer than ever before
Relationships: Moriya Akane/Sugai Yuuka
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	They might be your wounds but they're my sutures

The dance for Sakurazaka46's first single requires some clever footwork this time, much like Kaze fuka's Yuuka thinks as she dances in tandem with the song. Takahiro-san is off to the side monitoring their progress and around her are the 14 members selected for the single.

It's a smaller number this time which is unlike how it was in Keyaki, but maybe it was for the best.

They've been practicing for hours now, and she's hot and sticky and her shirt is sticking uncomfortably to her back. Her ankle is starting to hurt but she knows that if she lets it rest for a bit the pain will gradually ebb away.

"Ok girls, let's take a break!", Takahiro-san claps his hands and the music instantly stops, signaling the start of their 15-minute break.

Yuuka quietly sighs in relief and all around she hears the same from the other members and the room is then filled with the sound of girlish chatter as everyone heads off to take a break.

She smiles to the members who approach her and engage her in small talk and when they leave she starts to make her way to the sides to get to her towel and bag but as soon as she takes one step forward, a sharp pain lances through her ankle and she stumbles a bit but quickly catches herself.

"Are you okay?" Akane's concerned voice comes from behind her and when she turns her head towards the source of the voice she is met with Akane's concerned gaze, cheeks pink with exertion and bangs sticking to her forehead but still oh so beautiful.

"Uhh..." Yuuka finds herself at a loss for words for a second but quickly regains her composure and gives the other girl a lopsided grin.

"Yeah! Yeah I'm fine, just missed a step" she laughs nervously and she could've sworn that the vice-captain's eyes narrowed an inch but it was quickly replaced with a neutral expression.

Her ankle is throbbing dully but the pain isn't as bad anymore as she tries to take another step and sighs in relief when the sharp pain doesn't return.

"Man, the new dance is kinda hard don't you think?" a new voice chimes in, and Ozeki appears behind Akane with some water bottles, "Here I got extra," she says as she hands one to Akane then to Yuuka who gratefully accepts it with a thank you.

Akane twists the cap open and takes a swig, relishing in the way the cool water flows down her parched throat before answering "Yeah the footwork reminds me of Kaze Fuka, it's kinda hard but I think it's still manageable"

"Right? Ah Yuuka-chan, yesterday during Rekomen you said something about your ankle ligaments? I seriously thought you were joking"

Yuuka chokes on the water she was swallowing and clears her throat, "A-ah that, it was an old injury. ¾ of my ankle's ligament was torn.." she trails off when she sees Akane's eyes widen in shock and quickly explains, "b-but they're mostly healed now! So it's not a problem, I barely feel any pain!"

"Seriously, Yuuka...did you even let it heal properly?"

"I-i...did!"

"Eh but you said yesterday that they haven't healed yet?"

_Ozeki!_

Yuuka blanches when stern eyes turn to her, "Just how long has this been going on Yuuka?"

"U-um a year or two I think? But really it's fine!"

"Yuuka having almost all of your ligaments torn is serious! You should have left it to heal properly!"

"It's not like I had a choice..." she says, feeling something akin to anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach which was very unlike her. Few things can rile her up, so she doesn't know why she's currently feeling angry.

"I couldn't just leave the group, I'm the captain and if anything happens to the group I would never forgive myself"

She exclaims and sees the way Akane narrows her eyes at her as she straightens herself. Even though she is shorter than her, right now Akane looks downright imposing to her, all straight-backed and hackles raised. For what, she doesn't know because frankly she's justified herself on why she had to do what she had to do.

Ozeki stands at the side, silently watching the start of what she thinks might be a rare argument. Never has she seen her two friends get into arguments before as she nervously watches the scene unfold.

"You could've gone on a hiatus, I would have been able to take your place while you let yourself heal" Akane hisses out the final word, trying to emphasize her point. "Is it not what I am tasked to do? To help you?"

"Akanen..you don't understand, I can't just leave. With how things are I can't afford to leave! What would the fans think?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe the fact that you are hurt and you need rest? That maybe your ankle needed to heal before it gets worse than it already is?"

"Uh guys..."

"I know my body Akane and I will rest when it tells me to rest and frankly right now I feel fine! Why are you so angry?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt! Why can't you understand that?"

"Guys..."

By now a few other members had gathered around them, mutterings of 'what's going on?' and "eh why is Yuuka angry?' surrounded them. Ozeki nervously turns towards Risa who had appeared next to her and grimaces at the questioning look on her face, shrugging while the captain and vice-captain are still unaware of the attention they've suddenly attracted.

"What's going on?" Risa asks and tries to step in between the two.

"Nothing!" Yuuka huffs in answer while Akane just rolls her eyes.

"I can't believe you're saying that this is nothing!" she says and turns to Risa, "Risa, Yuuka's ankle-"

"Akane...stop" the chill in Yuuka's voice puts a stop to Akane's complaint, suddenly the room feels a lot colder than it already is.

Turning her back on them, Yuuka steps away. "I'm fine. I can handle it" she says, not even bothering to turn around to face Akane while the others watch on, still confused as to what had just happened. The 2kis are slowly trickling in, laughing and joking amongst themselves, unaware of what had just occurred momentarily.

"Akanen...what-?" Risa tries to ask again but all she got was a shake of the head as Akane turns on her heels and walks away.

Ozeki slowly approaches the speechless girl's side and places a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not sure if I'm the right person to tell this but let's just leave them for now."

"I've never seen them argue before," Yui says as she watches Yuuka who was busying herself by tying and re-tying her shoelaces.

"Yeah, I never knew Yuuka could get angry in the first place" Habu pipes up from behind, looking wide-eyed at both captains.

"It's complicated and I think it might've been partly my fault" Ozeki sighs and averts her eyes from Risa's questioning gaze.

"Alright! Back to practice everyone!" Takahiro-sensei's voice booms from across the room, pulling the girls out of their thoughts.

The practice continued on, while the witnesses to the argument nervously watched over the two captains, afraid that something might trigger them to argue again but thankfully everything went relatively smoothly until their practice session ended.

Akane left early, saying that she needed to go buy something from the store while Yuuka left a few minutes after, which was unusual for her since she is usually one of the last to leave.

The members' line group was also strangely quiet that night, devoid of their usual mindless chatter save for a curt message from Yuuka reminding them of dance practice for the next day.

And when the next day rolls by, things get a little bit more heated.

The atmosphere of the practice room was stifling. The two captains who would normally seek each other out as soon as they arrive are each standing stoically on opposite sides of the room, completely ignoring each other.

"Hey, does Sugai-san look off to you?" Ten whispers to Inoue who was happily munching on her bread, prompting her to look in the direction of the captain and squints, "Huh now that you mentioned it, yeah? I mean, Moriya-san does too. I haven't seen them speaking to each other since we got here and that's really weird"

"Are they fighting?" Takeyui asks as she joins in on the conversation with Matsurina in tow.

"Eh? Really? But they were fine yesterday?" Matsurina stares in wide-eyed disbelief at the backs of their captains, the idea of them fighting seemed foreign to her. They seem like good friends who would talk things through if any disagreement arises.

"Maybe it's nothing. Maybe they're just tired?" Inoue says, trying to dissuade any form of rumors because at the end of the day they're their captains, surely nothing bad is happening between them right?

The other girls nodded in agreement but continued to silently watch the two captains as they went about their business while still completely ignoring each other's existence.

At one point, Ozeki approaches Yuuka hesitantly as the other girl was busy going through her notes.

"Yuuka?"

Yuuka looks up, startled out of her blank staring into her notebook, "Ozeki?"

"Hey, I just wanted to apologize if I overstepped yesterday" Ozeki stares apologetically into the captain's eyes, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

Yuuka however just shakes her head and smiles gently at the nervous girl which somehow eases Ozeki's nervousness a bit.

"Don't worry about it Ozeki, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known"

"Still Akanen..."

At the mention of the other girl's name, Yuuka stiffens. Honestly, she had been up all night yesterday feeling guilty about getting mad at her. Looking back, perhaps Akane had a point but it wasn't as if she had a choice, she couldn't just leave the group as it is. She, however, can't help but feel as if Akane had taken offense at that and she honestly does not know why. Akane had acted cold towards her since yesterday and had avoided her ever since they got here after their somewhat disagreement. But really, she feels fine! She had immediately soaked her feet in ice-cold water and felt great after.

There was absolutely nothing to worry about.

She tries to assure the worried girl in front of her, "It's ok Ozeki, I'll go and talk to her later" and Ozeki sighs in relief, "Yes please, I think everyone is starting to catch up on what's happening and are starting to get nervous"

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah, I think the fact that you two aren't on talking terms is worrying everyone"

"Oh no, I didn't think it would be this bad! I'll go talk to her now then"

Immediately, Yuuka whirls around and takes large strides towards Akane who was chatting with Risa, completely unaware of the approaching captain.

"Akanen, we need to talk," she says as soon as she's near, startling the two girls out of their conversation. Risa clears her throat, "Well it's about time, i'll leave you two to it then" and makes a move to leave but Akane stops her.

"No, wait. I think you need to hear this too"

"Akanen...please" Yuuka pleads but it only leads to Akane crossing her arms in retalience and fixing her with a cool stare, chin slightly raised as if challenging her.

"I'm not the only one who needs to hear this," she says coolly, "hell, I think everyone needs to know" and arches an eyebrow while Yuuka fidgets in place.

"Know what?" Risa's interest is piqued, if it's what she thinks it is then she's got some collecting to do later.

But Yuuka remains silent, making Akane huff in frustration at the girl's hesitance and answers on her behalf.

"Yuuka here has an old ankle injury that hasn't healed yet. Apparently, ¾ of her ankle's ligaments is torn and is still healing"

"Akanen..." Yuuka groans and grimaces when Risa's eyes widen in her direction.

"Wait what? Yuuka that's serious!"

"Uh-huh that's what I said, but does she listen? Nope"

"It's mostly healed..."

"Yuuka you have to know that injuries like that have a high chance of recurring and could lead to something more serious if you don't let it heal properly!" Akane's voice steadily rises in tandem with her temper.

"I know that but I can't leave-!"

"The group? Yuuka, do you have so little faith in me as your vice-captain? That you think I might not be capable of holding down the fort while you let yourself heal? Is that it?"

"Akane you know that's not what I meant-"

"Because that's clearly what it sounds like to me" Akane could feel heat prickling at the back of her eyes, frustration and disappointment wrenching at her heart while Risa looks on helplessly.

This was definitely not what Risa had expected when she had put her money in for the bet.

"Hey, guys let's just..."

"You could seriously hurt yourself! Can't you just think about yourself for a goddamn moment because I sure as hell can't do it myself!" Akane almost yells, her face was red and tears were gathering at the corner of her eyes.

" _Ah_..." Risa thinks to herself, just what she had expected.

Yuuka flinches and takes a step back from the outburst. She inhales a deep breath and blows it out slowly, trying to calm her racing heart.

Before she could respond though, Takahiro-sensei enters the room and loudly proclaims that practice was going to start.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Akane roughly wipe away at her eyes and suddenly she's overwrought with guilt at having made the other girl cry.

"Akanen wait-!" She tries to make a grab for her friend's arm as she passes by her but Akane just sidesteps out of her way, leaving her grasping at empty air. She feels a hand on her shoulder and when she turns around she's met with Risa's sympathetic gaze.

"Risa, I don't know-" she pauses, trying to find the words "...why-"

"She cares about you more than you might think"

"I don't understand"

"Neither does Akane I think but I do hope the two of you can figure it out" Risa turns to leave but stops short, "also don't think I'm not mad at you either. If you need to take time to heal, I'm sure the group would still be standing when you come back, after all, we do have a very capable vice-captain."

Yuuka watches Risa leave and sighs, she still doesn't understand what she meant but what she does know is that she definitely needs to apologize after practice. Akane had looked so hurt and Yuuka was sure that the image of her tears would forever be ingrained in her mind's eye.

To think that it was all because of her, she'll have to make it up to her later for sure.

Shaking her head clear of thoughts, she hurries over towards the other members and gets into her position next to Karin. From the mirror in front of them, she spies Akane's gaze on her from her position at the back and feels the hairs on the back of her neck rise at the intensity of the gaze.

The music starts and her mind instantly focuses on the choreo and nothing else mattered at that point.

Akane's gaze however never leaves her the whole time.

They practiced song after song. Hours upon hours. Because they are, in fact, rebuilding the group from the ground up after all. New songs, new choreos, things to learn in such a short amount of time. They probably have 2 months at most before their first debut concert.

Some of the choreos have intense footwork and she can already feel the familiar ache in her left ankle. She tries to shift most of her weight onto her right foot, trying to keep her ankle from paining her, and for a while, it had worked but it left her dancing awkwardly.

Takahiro-sensei sees her awkward dancing and asks her if something's wrong, if she needs to step back and relearn the dance with a dancer-san but she declines and shifts back her weight evenly on both feet, wincing when a sharp pain slices through her left ankle.

She tries to power through it but the sharp pain in her ankle is causing her to lose focus.

Her next step had landed awkwardly, and her left ankle just suddenly gave out on her. Her ankle rolls painfully inwards and she hears a loud pop followed by white-hot, excruciating pain that lances through her leg and all the way up her spine. She is vaguely aware of the harsh half-stifled yell that comes out of her throat as she collapses onto her side and curls into a ball, hands immediately seeking the source of the pain as she reaches down to hold her ankle.

Tears of pain leaked out of the corner of clenched eyelids as she rolled around on the floor in agony. There is a flurry of activity around her and she hears the panicked voices of the other members through the ringing in her ears but one distinct voice pierces through the pain-filled haze.

"Yuuka! What's wrong?", Akane's breathless voice breaks through the cacophony of voices and when she opens her eyes, the blurry sight of Akane's terrified face greets her.

"My ankle..." she says through gritted teeth and grunts as the pain in her ankle goes down just a notch into sharp throbbing that pulses in time with her rapid heartbeat.

She feels hands easing her onto her back and straightening her leg and her whole body jerks when someone presses down onto her ankle to check it.

"This looks bad, I think we need to take you to the hospital," Takahiro-sensei says from her feet, at that point, she was already too much in pain to argue and just nods her head.

"Can you stand?" Akane asks beside her and at her nodding, someone slides their hands underneath her shoulders and slowly pushes her up. When she opens her eyes, she sees the worried faces of the members around her and tries to smile through the pain as she tries to put on a brave front.

Some of the 2ki members were openly crying. Takeyui, who was positioned behind her, had watched in horror at the sight of her beloved senpai's back suddenly collapsing onto the floor and clutching her ankle in agony.

Risa appears on her other side and puts her arm around her shoulders, while Akane does the same on her other side.

"On three. One, two, three!" Yuuka bites her lower lip in order to stifle the cry from escaping her throat as she is hoisted upwards by her two friends but couldn't help but yelp when she accidentally puts pressure on her injured ankle. She nearly collapses again but is saved by Akane and Risa supporting her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" she sobs, feeling guilty at having interrupted their dance practice and being weak and a burden to everyone around her but Takahiro sensei only smiles gently in response.

"It's going to be okay. We'll take you to the hospital" he then turns towards one of the dancer-sans, "Please take over for me while I bring Sugai to the hospital"

Together with Takahiro-sensei leading the way, they first went to the infirmary for an ice pack and a wheelchair, and with Yuuka safely deposited onto the wheelchair they made their way to Takahiro-sensei's car.

Risa and Akane deposit her into the back of the car and both decide to follow for moral support. With Takahiro at the wheel, Risa in front, and Yuuka's ankle being iced on Akane's lap, they made their way to the hospital.

By then her ankle had swelled considerably but the pain had receded to a dull throbbing with the occasional shooting pain. Akane was applying the ice firmly onto her foot making Yuuka wince while shooting her the occasional worried glances. The car ride was short and quiet save for Yuuka's whimpers of pain and Takahiro-sensei's words of encouragement.

They arrive after a short 10-minute car ride and Yuuka soon finds herself in another wheelchair and being wheeled straight to the Emergency Room.

Takahiro-sensei immediately goes to the receptionist while the three of them wait.

"Are you okay? Is it still painful?" Akane asks as she crouches down next to Yuuka's foot, eyeing the swollen appendage with sympathy. All traces of anger were gone, only worry filled her being at the moment.

"Still hurts, but it's more manageable now," Yuuka hisses and the beginnings of guilt start to creep into her, "I'm sorry you both had to miss practice and you're right I was stupid and reckless" her breath hitches and she takes in a shaky breath, she could feel the burn of tears forming behind her eyes and roughly wipes at them with the sleeve of her shirt.

Eyes hidden behind her arm, she didn't see Akane crouching in front of her until a gentle tug pulled her arm away from her face and Akane's warm smile greeted her. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Whatever happens, I'll be here for you alright?" she says in assurance.

A gentle hand on her head brings her attention to Risa who gives her a few gentle pats on the head, "Let's focus on your ankle for now ok? She says with a warm smile then looks up when Takahiro-sensei approaches them with a nurse.

"If you could please follow me to Examination Room 3," The nurse says kindly but stops short when she sees the number of people accompanying Yuuka, "I'm sorry only one other person is allowed to accompany Ms.Sugai"

"Ah that's fine, Moriya if you will? Watanabe-san and I will wait for you outside. I'll inform your manager and Watanabe-san will keep the members updated about your condition"

Akane's eyes widened in surprise, she'd thought that Takahiro-sensei would be the one to accompany Yuuka but she's secretly glad that she was the one instead, "A-ah ok".

Takahiro-sensei gives another knowing smile and pats Yuuka on the shoulder, "We'll be just outside, take your time" and gives a sly wink. Even though still in pain Yuuka couldn't help but wonder what the wink entitled plus Risa was grinning behind Takahiro-sense as if she too is on the secret with their dance teacher.

"Ok, Ms. Moriya is it? Please follow me then" The nurse turns and begins to wheel Yuuka away followed closely by Akane. The hallway was a hub of activity as doctors and nurses rushed by, spewing medical jargon left and right which made Yuuka fidget nervously in her seat. Soon they arrive in front of a white door with the sign 'Examination Room 3' and when they enter they are greeted by a kind-looking doctor who smiles at their arrival.

"Ms.Sugai?" he asks and looks at the chart the nurse had handed to him, "suspected ankle sprain yes?"

"Y-yes"

"Ok, can you tell me what led to the injury?"

"Ah we had dance practice, I stepped on my foot awkwardly and rolled my ankle. I heard a loud pop when it happened"

"Mm-hm ok, let's have a look at it then shall we?" He says and rolls over on his stool.

"Can you stand?"

"I can try" Yuuka hisses as she stands up, supported by Akane's help but she couldn't put any weight on her injured ankle without severe pain. Carefully Akane assists her onto the examination table as she hops onto it with the doctor scrutinizing her every move.

When she looked down at her foot she had to suppress a whimper at the sight of her ankle. It looked bad, it was swollen to almost twice the size and the bruising just made it look a lot worse.

She feels Akane's hand on her shoulder, slowly rubbing up and down to comfort her and she really is thankful for her support and company right now.

Yuuka winces when the doctor gently holds her foot in his hands and when the doctor starts to palpate at her ankle, she yelps in response and is vaguely aware of the hand slotting into her own, giving her a reassuring squeeze. She gratefully holds on to Akane's hand and clenches each time the doctor palpates her ankle.

Every twist and turn brings forth a fresh wave of tears and by the time he was done examining her foot, the pain had erupted anew leaving her breathing harshly through her nose. Akane however, had remained quiet and supportive beside her, quietly murmuring words of comfort and encouragement, and had withstood every painful squeeze of her hand like a champ.

The doctor looks up briefly from his examination and smiles at the two.

"On a scale of 1-10, how severe is the pain?"

"An 8 I think?" Yuuka says and bites her lower lip to keep herself from yelping when the doctor starts to rotate her ankle.

The doctor hums thoughtfully, "It's definitely a serious sprain, but it's hard to tell if the ligament is torn because of the swelling" he says finally and rolls over to the nearby cabinet and takes out some compression wraps.

"For now, we'll have to closely monitor it and try to reduce the swelling," he says while wrapping her ankle, "once the swelling is gone, we'll have another follow up appointment for an MRI or an ultrasound to assess the condition of the ligament"

"Do you have a history of ankle sprains?"

"Y-yes, I sprained my ankle about a year or two before this" she answers nervously, fully aware that the disclosure of her injury in the vicinity of her vice-captain might make her become angry again at her.

"Hmm ok, I'll have to take that into account. In the meantime, rest, ice, compress, and elevate Ms.Sugai. Please refrain from any strenuous activities or putting any sort of weight on your ankle until the swelling goes down" he says while writing on his clipboard.

He then gives Yuuka a gentle smile and a pat on the knee before standing and walking to the door, "I'll be with you in a moment" and steps outside, leaving the two girls alone.

Immediately, Yuuka's head drops as she internally chastises herself for her weakness. The pain in her ankle had lessened to a dull throbbing and with the pain in check, her mind began to focus more on other things.

Sensing Yuuka's troubled thoughts, Akane gives Yuuka's shoulder a squeeze and moves into her line of sight.

"Hey it'll be ok" she says softly, feeling her heart crack at seeing the despondent look on her friend's face.

"Akane I-" Yuuka stops and inhales shakily, "I wanted to apologize for hurting your feelings"

"Hey it's ok-"

"No it's not!" Yuuka cries out, tears of frustration running down her cheeks, "I hurt you, not intentionally, but I still hurt you"

"Yuuka..."

"The reason I couldn't take a break from activities is that I didn't want to burden you with my responsibilities. I mean it's bad enough that the both of us have to face so many criticisms, I just don't want you to get the brunt of it alone. With me suddenly going on a hiatus, I'm basically throwing you to the wolves" she chuckles humorlessly and wipes at the tears pooling in her eyes.

"We're already on shaky ground as it is, and I just had to be careless and hurt my ankle in the process"

Akane was quiet, already beginning to understand her hesitance in taking leave. In the past 5 years, they've been through a lot together. As Vice-captain, Akane has always been the one who bears witness to Yuuka's responsibilities as Captain and also as the somewhat face of the group. These last 2 years, they have had to shoulder so many baseless rumors and criticisms thrown their way, Yuuka however, would always try to remain positive for the group. Even when she was busy with a play, a radio show, or any appearances on TV she would always find time to be with the group.

Sometimes Akane just wishes that Yuuka could just be selfish even if it's just for a day. Maybe even for _her_ but that would be too far-fetched, after all, Yuuka doesn't know the lengths she would go for her or her feelings for her.

But Yuuka doesn't need to know that last bit, after all, she has more than enough to worry about rather than reciprocating her feelings.

"I know...I know that you're a capable vice-captain. You've proven that to me so many times and I am forever grateful to have you at my side but I can't bear the thought of you having to shoulder this alone" Yuuka adds on, scared that she somewhat made things worse with her explanation, that she might have offended Akane, even more, when it wasn't even her intention in the first place.

"Yuuka..I get it" Akane finally says and Yuuka releases her pent-up breath as she looks up at the other girl.

"I was hurt initially, I mean I'm your vice-captain, right? I'm supposed to be by your side always" she continues and shrugs," To be honest, I've always felt that I've never done much for you. You're always this shining figure that could withstand anything in her way and I thought to myself 'why would you need me for anyway?'"  
  


"Akane that's not true! I-"

Akane holds a hand up, silencing Yuuka, "but I think I get it now and I just wanna say that you're" she holds up her hand and flicks her forefinger and thumb at Yuuka's forehead, "an idiot"

Yuuka yelps and rubs at the stinging on her forehead while Akane just smiles widely at her, "I'm here for you, always. You have a vice-captain for a reason you know. Don't just shoulder everything on your own"

 _"I care for you more than you would ever know_ " is what she really wanted to say but the words never left her.

Instead, "We all care about you, me, the members and if you need to take a break to heal then I will do everything I can to prepare the group to be a place where you will be glad to return to"

"Akane..." tears shone in Yuuka's eyes at Akane's words.

Stepping close, the vice-captain gives her her signature winning smile and says, "Trust me" earnestly, the sergeant persona that she is known for shining through, making Yuuka's heart skip a beat.

The air in the room changed suddenly, an unknown tension permeating the air. Akane was standing close enough that Yuuka could smell the familiar perfume wafting from the girl and it was making her feel funny things in the pit of her stomach.

"Akane..." she licks her lips and she noticed how Akane was eyeing the movement and without realizing it Akane had inched closer.

"Yuuka I-.." a feeling of boldness suddenly struck her, fueled by the tension in the room. She launches herself forward and her leg collides with Yuuka's splinted ankle making the girl yelp in pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she panics, cursing herself for being too impulsive. Yuuka had curled into herself, hands reaching down for her aching ankle. Akane immediately bends down with the intent to help ease her friend's pain but when the door suddenly opens, it startles the both of them causing Yuuka to shoot up and Akane following suit who loses her balance and ends up stumbling into Yuuka's arms.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting- oh?" the doctor enters and pauses at the sight of the two entangled with each other.

"I seem to have interrupted something?" the doctor smiles knowingly and laughs when the two girls quickly disentangle themselves from each other.

"N-no we were just talking" Yuuka clears her throat, her cheeks felt hot and when she looks to her side, Akane's cheeks had pinkened as well, and was shyly averting her eyes away from her.

The doctor just laughs under his breath and nods his head, clearly not buying their excuse. He grabs for the stool again and rolls over to Yuuka with his clipboard in hand.

"Alright so, like I said earlier we'll need to wait for the swelling to go down first before so lots of ice, rest, and elevation for the next few days. I've made some arrangements with an orthopedist" he hands her a sheet of paper containing a copy of what he has written down, "once the swelling goes down, you can come back here and we'll schedule another appointment and then we'll see from there"

The door then opens and a nurse comes in with a wheelchair. Akane helps Yuuka hop down from the examination table and helps her hobble towards the waiting wheelchair. Once comfortably seated, Yuuka turns towards the doctor with a polite smile and thanked him.

"No problem, I'll see you in a couple of days? Make sure to not move around much, I'm sure your girlfriend would happily assist you if you need anything"

"E-eh? Girlfriend??" both Yuuka and Akane exclaimed loudly, turning towards the doctor with wide eyes. The doctor in turn recoils slightly from the furiously blushing girls and laughs sheepishly.

"I'm sorry to have assumed, I thought you two were together"

"A-ah it's ok but we're just good friends" Yuuka tries to explain while Akane nods vehemently in agreement, "We're just really good friends".

"Ah is that so? My apologies then" the doctor bows his head in apology but a small smile still remains on his lips.

"I will see you in a few days' time then" he escorts them to the door and waves them goodbye.

Once outside, Akane wheels Yuuka in silence, both girls mulling over what had made the doctor mistakenly think that they were together.

Both Takahiro-sensei and Risa stood up from their seats when they saw them coming from the hallway and Yuuka felt the guilt come back at the thought of having them wait for her.

"So how was it? Is your ankle ok?" Takahiro-sensei asks the approaching pair as soon as they are near.

"The doctor said it was bad but we won't know much until the swelling goes down" Yuuka looks down disappointedly, the feeling of worry gnawing at her heart after suddenly remembering the doctor's prognosis.

"Well whatever it is, you'll need to focus on your recovery for now" Takahiro-sensei tries to assure her and pats her shoulder gently.

"Everyone's worried about you but I told them you were going to be fine"

"Ah thank you Risa, I'm sorry to have burdened you like this. You should have been practicing instead"

"What are you talking about? It's not like you wanted all this to happen. What matters now is for you to get better" Risa chides gently, "for your sake, the group's sake and..." she eyes Akane, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Akane's sake of course".

"W-what is that supposed to mean?" Akane asks incredulously only to be met with Risa's giggling.

Takahiro-sensei shakes his head, amused at the antics but also relieved that the girls seem to still be in good spirits. They left the hospital soon after and drove back to the studio to pick up Yuuka's belongings while Yuuka texted her parents about her injury and asked them to come to pick her up.

Akane wheels her through the hallway towards the practice room with Takehiro-sensei and Risa leading them. Even from afar, the loud dance music could be heard along with the squeaking of sneakers and the other members' voices.

Suddenly, Yuuka is filled with apprehension at the thought of seeing the disappointed looks on their faces and feels her heart beat rapidly as they get nearer. She nervously rubs at her chest, trying to soothe away her nerves. Akane, who saw the familiar quirk, rubs at her shoulder comfortingly, smiling down at the girl when she looks up at her.

They paused in front of the door. Takahiro-sensei looked down at her and patiently waited for her to steel her nerves and opened the door once she nodded her head in readiness.

The first thing that greeted her was the sight of the backs of the other members, diligently practicing the dance. In an instant, tears began forming in her eyes at the strong image and she bows her head to collect herself.

"Everyone, we're back!" Takahiro-sensei's booming announcement causes some of the girls to falter in their dancing and then all heads turn towards them.

A chorus of 'Yuukas'! And "Sugai-sans'!" accompanied the rapid footsteps as everyone practically races towards them making Yuuka huff out a laugh even through her tears.

She is instantly bombarded with questions and Akane chided at them to give Yuuka some breathing room.

"Everyone, I'm sorry to have made you all worry" Yuuka bows her head in apology and tries to suppress the sob trying to claw its way out of her throat.

"It's ok Yuuka, it was an accident after all right? How's your foot?" Habu asks as she crouches down next to her chair and places a comforting hand on her knee.

"The doctor said it might be bad but that they can't know for sure until the swelling goes down. It'll take a few days and then I'll have to go for a follow-up appointment and get some scans for my ankle"

Murmurs fill the room and Yuuka sighs, dreading what she needs to say next. Behind her, Akane places a gentle hand on her back, knowing exactly what has to happen.

Yuuka clears her throat and takes in a shaky breath. She looks up and tries to look at each member in the eye as she tries to muster the courage to say it.

"I...will most probably be on a hiatus to heal" she pauses, rubbing roughly at the tears pooling in her eyes, and continues, "I'm sorry to have to leave you at such a crucial moment.

She tries to bow as low as she can in apology and sucks in a breath when she feels hands rubbing on her shoulders, her head, and back and when she looks up she is suddenly enveloped in a warm hug courtesy of Koike.

"Yuuka it's ok, take as much time as you need. Your health is more important"

"But-"

"No buts. We will still be here once you're ready. Besides..." Fuuchan pipes in, a hand patting at her shoulder and grins at Akane, "we have a very capable Vice-captain in your stead"

Akane laughs and gives a peace sign to the rest of the group, "Yeah, I'll make sure everything is still standing when you come back, so just please listen to your body and let it heal for our sake"

"Please don't worry Sugai-san, we'll work very hard and we won't disappoint you" Matsurina grins widely at her accompanied by the murmurs of the other 2nd gens stating the same around them and Yuuka instantly feels warmth blooming in her chest.

"Everyone..." she lets out a watery laugh and gathers herself before nodding her head rapidly and loudly exclaiming, "Ok! I will do my best to heal properly so please wait for me!" causing everyone to cheer loudly for her.

Seeing the members' smiles eases her worries a bit, so she will try her best to not let them down. Akane helps her to pack her things and wheels her outside to the parking lot where her parents were waiting for her. The Sugais approached them with worried faces as they took in Yuuka's condition but smiled gratefully at Akane's help and reassurance.

She waves them goodbye as they pull away from the parking lot and heaved a sigh. Just as she was about to turn around and go back inside, her phone chimes signaling a message.

_Thank you for today. I don't know what I would've done without you_

A smile slowly pulls at her lips as she replies,

_Probably still continue dancing and working but you're welcome_

_Hahaha I'm sorry but you might just be right_

_Please, I've known you for 5 years. I'm going to head in now. REST PLS_

_Ok ok I will <3_

Akane snorted and shook her head. Her stomach was doing the weird swooping thing it always did when Yuuka's involved and frankly, she's getting a little tired of it. Now's probably not the best time to entertain her feelings.

It's impossible after all.

She's going to be busy for probably the next few months so she hopes she'll be able to forget about lopsided smiles and silky smooth hair soon.

* * *

Her ankle is throbbing by the time she gets into bed. It's late and after explaining to her parents about what had happened, crying again then being comforted by them she's already feeling too emotionally exhausted to stay awake.

Tom is dozing peacefully beside her pillow as she reaches out a hand to bury it in soft fur, instantly feeling relieved at the familiar sensation. She sighs and lies down. Closing her eyes she tries to go to sleep but no matter what position she tries, she just couldn't go to sleep.

The throbbing increases in intensity when she accidentally shifts it a little too fast and she winces from the pain. She shifts again and lays on her back, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Her mind wanders, and in her mind's eye she instantly thinks of beautiful smiles, soft skin and a familiar comforting smell.

Huffing out a frustrated breath, she reaches for her phone and squints at the bright light.

_02.00 A.M_

_"It's late, Akane is probably asleep right now",_ she thinks to herself and pouts disappointedly. She turns to put her phone back on her dresser but her phone chimes with a message and she wonders who could be messaging her so late at night.

It was a message from Akane.

_Hey, how are you?_

Her face instantly lights up and she quickly types in a reply.

_I'm good. Why aren't you asleep yet?_

_I couldn't sleep. You? Is your ankle bothering you?_

_No._

_Don't lie, it's totally bothering you isn't it?_

Yuuka pauses and bites her lower lip, wondering if she should just tell her the truth.

_A little bit._

_Hmm, have you iced it?_

_Yes._

_Elevated it?_

_Yes._

_Rest?_

_Well I didn't walk around much just now._

_But you still did?_

_Yes._

_Yuuka, you should be resting!_

_I'm sorry._

_Mou, you're so stubborn._

Her phone buzzes, signaling a call and when she looks at the caller ID, Akane's face greets her.

"H-hello?"

"Let's talk, maybe that'll keep your mind away from the pain" Akane's slightly rough voice flows through the speaker.

"Eh, were you asleep?" Yuuka asks, noting the rough quality to her voice.

"I was but I woke up for no reason and now I can't sleep"

"Ahh.."

"Ankle ok?

"Mmm, a little"

"Well let that serve as a reminder that you should be resting and not moving so much"

"Mou Akanen~" she whines childishly and Akane's throaty laughter through the speaker sends shivers down her spine.

She clears her throat as Akane's laughter begins to ebb away, "Ne..."

"Hmm?"

"I really am sorry for hurting your feelings today"

The line was quiet after her admission and Yuuka wonders if Akane had already fallen asleep.

"Aka-?"

"I was worried about you, I still am actually" Akane murmurs and Yuuka feels her heart start to beat rapidly.

"You're an idiot, did you know that?"

Yuuka sputters at that, "Ehh-?"

"You are, and you're too selfless and too kind"

"Akane.."

"But I guess that's what makes you, you"

Yuuka laughs quietly at that, "I don't know whether you're trying to criticize me or if you're complimenting me"

"Mmm both" Akane hums, "Let's just put what happened behind us, and yes I forgive you so stop apologizing"

"Ah I'm glad then"

They both got quiet after that. The sound of rustling sheets filled the silence and Yuuka's eyelids were starting to droop, the pain in her ankle long forgotten.

"Ne..." Akane starts and Yuuka's eyes blinked open.

"The doctor at the hospital just now..."

"Yeah?"

"I wonder why he thought you and I were together"

Humming, Yuuka buries deeper under the blankets and murmurs sleepily, her eyes shutting close despite her efforts to keep awake "Maybe because you were being so good to me?"

"I-...isn't that what friends are for?"

"...."

"Yuuka?"

Akane calls out but Yuuka was fast asleep, lulled by the sound of the other girl's voice in her ear.

"I guess you finally got to sleep then. I'm glad. Good night Yuuka"

On the other end of the phone, Akane sighs in frustration and flops onto her back.

"Mouuu!"

What did she mean by that?!" 

**Author's Note:**

> This was an entirely self-indulgent project I had going on that I had no intention of publishing but it turned into a monstrosity and I felt why the heck not right? I've always stuck with AUs but Real life fics are unexpectedly fun to write. Also, I had fun playing around with trying to write descriptions and adding little details here and there. Based on the radio show with Ozeki where Yuuka said 3/4 of her left ankle ligaments were torn and have yet to heal. As usual please leave a comment or any criticisms, they give me life <3


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